Tales of the Great Tree
by Nagumo
Summary: Hiromi serves tea to the SV2 base. He eventually meets up with Takeo in the computer roome and talks of endings and beginnings.


I do not own Patlabor! kapeesh?  
Done in Hiromi's POV....  
Also I apologize with the lateness with the second chapter of "Blessed Are The Peacemakers". I have been sidetracked and have not even written a single line for the story. I hope to rectify that soon but I really wanted to make another fanfic on another minor character. Perhaps I'll do Ohta or Kanuka next... or maybe, just maybe Shinshi.

It was four thirty p.m. It was exactly four thirty p.m. at the base. Here in it's hallow halls of engineers (and subsequently, rooms full of porn, videogames and other contraband which Chief Sakaki Seitarou would disapprove of) it was quiet. 

Too quiet. Always at this time, no matter what the weather or situation, the SV2 base quieted down and became an almost serene place to be (if one could ignore the smell of oil, fish and body odour from people who were less than wholehearted about their personal hygiene). The only thing to mark the passage of other people was the tools and paperwork, which everyone left behind.

This was the time when criminals dared not commit any sort of labor crime for whatever reason. It seemed strange at first but when someone out there in Tokyo pointed out that the SV2, including the normally benign Division 1, was more destructive than usual at this specific time and about thirty minutes afterwards. Word spread around the city, through the criminals and terrorists and innocent civilians and peacekeepers alike. This was the time when it was best not to call in the SV2. Four thirty to five p.m. was in fact nicknamed the 'thirty minutes of death' for those who had dared commit crimes that warranted the appearance of the SV2 at that particular time. Rumour in the police speculated that the criminals were shown something truly vile and terrible to reduce them into such pathetic sobbing wrecks of human beings.

The most famous of such purported incidents, surprisingly enough, was supposedly done by Division 1, though there was absolutely no evidence back it up and the story seemed to change every once in a while. It seemed that it happened during the 'thirty minutes of death'. Apparently one of the patlabor pilot's decided to play Russian roulette with the criminal, after destroying the labor the criminal was using, by putting a bullet in only one chamber of the labor gun and quickly spun it around before stopping. Then the patlabor pilot supposedly pulled the trigger five times before stopping at where the bullet was supposed to be. Not once did the pilot make a mistake and fire the bullet into the helpless wrecked labor cockpit. It supposedly was said that the malicious patlabor pilot did it twenty three times before stopping and the other members of the teams extracted the now unconscious criminal labor pilot who had passed out from fear. While it seemed highly doubtful that the Captain of Division 1 would approve of such a thing, no one really wanted to find out the truth. Thus labor crime during this time plummeted to zero percent since the common sense of criminals go, if saints didn't like being bothered at that specific time and get so upset they don't act saintly any more... Don't do anything stupid.

This was all fine and dandy for everyone in the city and everyone at the base. Why, might you ask, that the SV2 would become so malicious at this specific time? Because Yamazaki Hiromi was serving everyone tea.

Yes as silly as that explanation sounds, it is true. It was tea time at the base and Hiromi, with his ever so gentle care and speed, served everyone their traditional green tea and small snacks. It seemed rather odd that the large man would go around serving tea but this was the SV2's time to relax from the humdrum of base life, police work and general boredom and reflect upon the day and tomorrow.

"Here's your tea Captain Goto, I believe you wanted the middling quality sencha?" Hiromi said as he placed the simple ceramic cup in front of his captain who was reading the sports section of the newspaper.

"Thanks Hiromi, I needed a drink," Goto said as he picked up the cup from off his desk but kept his eye on the newspaper squarely. As Hiromi turned and served Captain Nagumo next, Hiromi noted that Goto grimaced as he read the horse race section of the newspaper, it appeared that Goto had once again lost some money.

"Thank you Officer Yamazaki," Shinobu said as she took a break from her book she had been reading, picked up the tea cup for a good draught and leaned back into her chair. She rolled her eyes when she saw Goto make another long face as he read down the newspaper listing of the winners of the horse races. The steam rose from the cups as Hiromi began to walk away from the two captains. 

Today had been a rather pleasant day for Hiromi, he had finally fixed up the chicken coop with some newly purchased wire which he and Noa had been wheedling the others to get. It had taken almost three months of fighting (i.e. for Hiromi that's asking nicely) to actually get the wire needed but it had been an uphill battle. Money was tight despite increased funding to the Patlabor units over the years and almost everyone had ideas on spending the extra money. Some wanted the money to buy better fishing equipment so there would be a bigger catch, others wanted a Playstation for entertainment or another type of game system, another wanted a new heater for the winter months and so on.

'Okay let's see, Izumi-san uses the 'Alphonse' mug... Shinohara-san, Ohta-san and Shinshi-san use the plain white cups.... And Takeo-san uses the European tea cup...' Hiromi mentally listed off in his mind as he went to the kitchen to get another pot of hot tea ready. Many engineers sat in the hallways with their cup of tea and sitting cross-legged with friends and chatting about this and that. Hiromi passed them and went straight to the kitchen where he had left a warm pot. The water was ready and Hiromi readied the cups for everyone, it was going to be another relaxing and calm day. Hiromi quickly got out the tea leaves and put inside the clay tea pot before pouring in the hot water in a even way. He let the water settle for a moment and the poured everyone their tea except for Takeo's cup.

It was then Hiromi looked around the kitchen to see if there was anyone else around before Hiromi opened up a secret sliding door in one of the cupboards. Inside was a secret hole that no one knew of and it contained something that was precious to Hiromi. Gyokuro tea was in the small tin can that Hiromi got out of the hole. He wasn't into treating other people to such expensive tea (indeed this particular gyokuro from Uji was worth 10,000 yen for a mere three and half ounces or 100 grams) but it seemed lately that Takeo was out of character lately. Of course, no one noticed the woman being depressed and all given her personality, but Hiromi easily picked up the signs. It had all seemed to start a few days ago when it was raining. She had a faraway look and was staring at the bare desolate grounds of the SV2 base. Hiromi had to admit he was a bit tempted to plant some trees out in the fields by the base but he got a feeling it would be an act of futility seeing how the labors practiced there. The trees would be flattened and broken, which was a shame because Hiromi would of liked to see some of the colors of autumn. Perhaps Takeo was depressed because of the sheer barrenness of the field beaten down by rain and made into a virtual pile of mud and sickly brown grass.

Sighing at the thought Hiromi put two table spoons of gyokuro into another pot. He was about to pick up the hot water but a high female voice caused him jump up in surprise.

"Hiromi-chan," Noa said in a cheerful voice. Hiromi started greatly and immediately hid the gyokuro tea behind his back and smiled nervously.

"Noa-chan! How can I help you?" Hiromi said. He quietly wished Noa hadn't sneak up on him like that.

"What's wrong Hiromi-chan?"

"Nothing... Um... Noa-chan why don't you serve the other's the tea?"

'Please don't ask any more questions Noa-chan...' Hiromi begged.

"Okay... Hm? Hey Hiromi-chan where's Takeo-san's cup? I don't see it here." 

Noa picked up the tray and counted the number of cups. Hiromi quickly decided to change the subject.

"Where are the others?"

"The others? They're all in the office but Takeo-san is out somewhere else."

"Is that so, well you should go and take the tea to the others and I'll go look for Kumagami-san."

Noa blinked and then gave Hiromi a very wide smile. It made him feel very embarrassed.

"Oh I see.... Well you go and give her, her tea then Hiromi-chan," Noa said in a knowing voice before leaving Hiromi alone in the kitchen. As soon as Noa left Hiromi threw himself into a flurry of activity and quickly made the gyokuro tea and hid the tin can again in it's secret place. Noa came a bit close to discovering his secret stash. In the hidey-hole there were two chocolate bars that were made only in Germany, chocolate truffles from England, two cans of expensive Sencha and four tin cans of high quality coffee imported directly from various South American countries. Hiromi hated to admit it but he liked having high quality luxuries for himself despite the expense. It wasn't as if he had anything else to spend his money on. He didn't drink or smoke or gamble or any number of other vices or habits. Gardening and taking care of the chickens was not very expensive pastime and was paid by the base. Fine food and drinks, not alcoholic ones, were his weakness and taste. 

Carefully Hiromi poured the tea into Takeo's cup and found another tray to place it on. He left the pot on the kitchen counter and left to find Takeo. It wasn't really hard to find her because it was another miserable autumn day at the base, the few trees nearby was sickly and bare from the high winds coming into the bay. Takeo was in one of the computer rooms that was in the base, far away from everyone else. She seemed busy with a report of some sort and didn't even notice Hiromi enter the room.

Clackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclack.....

Takeo's fingers flew over the keyboard without her eyes even looking down to see what her fingers were doing. Hiromi was always impressed by some of the other's keyboarding skills. His hands were too large and sluggish when it came to typing but with people like Takeo, Shinshi and Asuma, it was like greased lightning. No his hands were built for the solid and tough jobs, even now he could feel his hands coarseness and calluses from long hours in the field just from touching the smooth tray he carried.

"Kumagami-san," Hiromi said in a loud enough voice to attract her attention. He smiled brightly when Takeo stopped her typing and turned her attention on Hiromi. She seemed mildly surprised but smiled at Hiromi in return.

"Oh, it's tea time. I forgot all about it," Takeo said to herself more than to Hiromi. Hiromi approached and put the tea cup down by Takeo's computer.

".... Um... Is something wrong?" Hiromi asked, he wasn't sure but Takeo looked particular thoughtful today.

"Nothing..."

Takeo picked up her cup and took a whiff of the tea before stopping. She looked mildly puzzled and then looked at the color of the tea intently. It was deep green color and the fragrance was very different from the other types of tea that they usually got. Takeo noticed immediately the difference and looked mildly impressed.

"Where did you get the tea?" Takeo asked.

'Uh oh...' Hiromi thought of an excuse.

"So what are you working on?" Hiromi asked. His father and mother reminded him every single day of his life when he was small. He was a terrible liar, therefore to avoid any more embarrassment or problems he always told the truth. Or change the subject immediately.

Takeo could only smile at him as if she understood what Hiromi was trying to do in reality but she didn't say anything. Then she stopped smiling and gave Hiromi a dead serious look.

"I'm only writing up a report on Ohta's trigger happiness and damages he's done for the last month..." Takeo deadpanned. Hiromi blinked and was about to open his mouth to defend Ohta, despite the fact the man was responsible for quite a bit of damage and bad reputation for the SV2 but stopped, blinked and looked at Takeo baffled.

"Um... Did Ohta do anything trigger happy lately or any sort of damage the last month?" Hiromi asked. It felt like a law in the universe had been broken. The type of law that states the earth revolves around the sun or the effect of gravity affects everything on earth or that SV2 must be saddled with the weirdest or most destructive duty for the entire mobile police division.

Takeo smiled broadly and proudly before taking a good sip from her tea. Hiromi however just looked impressed and mildly shocked.

"Amazing isn't it?" Takeo said to Hiromi as she held the tea cup in her hand.

"I'm surprised, I knew Ohta could contain his... um... need for mass destruction but I never thought I'd live to see it happen," Hiromi said.

"I know. I'm not as surprised by it but it kind of feels unreal doesn't it? I think we've all just became a bit too used to all the destruction we cause."

"Times are changing..." Hiromi said idly.

"They are... Aren't they?" Takeo said.

"Noa-chan is growing up, she's not as short as she used to be and thinking beyond Alphonse amazingly enough... Asuma is thinking about working for his father..." Hiromi listed off before trailing off.

"Shinshi is thinking of taking that promotion to the Chief of General Affairs, Ohta is thinking of becoming a training sergeant for the Patlabor academy at Fuji and me.... well...." Takeo continued before trailing off.

"What are you going to do?" Hiromi asked.

"I don't know... Maybe I'll go back to Interpol again... How about you Yamazaki-san?"

".... I'll probably stay around the base."

'Because I don't fit anywhere else. My hands aren't made for anything else...' Hiromi thought to himself. He was not bitter, he didn't expect anyone to stay on here forever. Not even Noa could stay here at the base forever with her labor obsession and even the seemingly unflappable Captain Goto was subject to change as well as Captain Nagumo. But Takeo leaving? Well she seemed done hiding from whatever she was hiding from.

A comfortable silence had fallen between the two. Takeo to her tea, sipping and Hiromi to his rough hands, folding and unfolding.

"You want to hear a story?" Hiromi said out of the blue. Takeo blinked, wondering what Hiromi was talking about.

"Sure, but I hope it's one that's not full of ghost or such. My father told me enough of those to make me swear of horror movies for the rest of my life."

"...Once a long time ago, the world was yet new and unspoiled, there was a great tree. It's branches reached above the clouds to the very realms of Jade Emperor himself and stretched from horizon from horizon. It was a most beautiful tree, strong and wise from long years. It's leaves carried the very essence of life and in it's sap the very blood of the world, fiery and untamed. One day the great tree became tired of looking to the heavens for it learned all there was to know in the heavens and felt saddened beyond all measure. So great was it sadness that it no longer greeted even the Jade Emperor or provide the Gods of the Heavenly Court with wisdom. The Gods of the Heavenly Court became gravely concerned and decided to send three representatives to the tree, to entertain and lift its spirit so that it would once more provide wisdom much needed. They would send each one by one.  
The first representative was the second wisest being in the Heavens and boasted that he would convince the great tree to once again serve the Heavenly Court as it had always done before. Three days latter the representative came back saddened and claimed.  
'I did not convince the great tree... For I see that once I learn everything, there is no worth to my life or anyone else's. Joy is devoid and you become jaded.'  
Upon this the first representative retired and made it his duty to make sure that no one would know everything and the enjoyment of life would never cease.  
The second representative was a great mischievous prankster and bard god who could lift the most saddened soul of the Heavens. He boasted that his great songs, stories and jokes would make the tree happy and left for the great tree at once. Three days latter the representative came back saddened and claimed.  
'I did not convince the great tree.... For I see now that all stories must end and oh, how they end. They have no happiness and no continuation.'  
Upon this the second representative disappeared, never to be seen again. He became the ender of stories and wept bitterly.  
The third representative was young god who had no responsibility or duties yet because of his age. He said that he would convince the great tree to die. At this the Heavenly Court laughed or were horrified by the young god's claimed. After all, how does one make the immortal tree die? The young god left for the tree. Three days latter a great rumbling was heard through out the Heavens and the earth screamed in pain. The great tree whose branches once covered the earth and reached into the very realms of Jade Emperor were no longer. The gods of the Heavenly Court mourned and were angered. They looked for the young god who claimed he would convince the tree to die and found him quickly at the very base of what was left of the great tree. The young god arose and addressed the angry gods.  
'You are angry, that I understand but listen to me. For everything we know ultimately brings a cooling of life, and for every story a ending. The great tree's story has ended and a new one has begun. Look down upon this earth, barren and void for the light of Heaven could never reach below the great limbs and leaves of the honorable tree. It has not died but made a new beginning! Look at where the leaves scatter, look at where the sap has fallen!'  
At this the gods did look and saw the horrible bareness of the earth and recoiled. Surely the young god has gone mad, where is the beauty of this world? Even the leaves and sap of the great tree did little to improve the earth. Lo, there was life but it weak and ugly. So the young god asked.  
'Do you not understand?'"

Hiromi ended his story. Takeo had drank all the tea in her cup and listened to the story intently.

"Did the gods of the Heavenly Court understand?" Takeo asked curious.

"... I don't know... No one has ever told me the end of the story," Hiromi answered. He picked up the empty tea cup for cleaning. The silence returned between the two and somehow it seemed less comfortable and friendly. No words were spoken and Hiromi left Takeo in the computer room.

It was 5 p.m. and life on the SV2 continued.


End file.
